Aberdeen Advanced Motorists

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Our Committee

Our Group is run by local volunteers who are all passionate about making life on the road more enjoyable. At present, and in line with the IAM RoadSmart Group Constitution, we have Committee Officer positions for the Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. Our 3 Officer positions are supported by 5 additional non-office holding members.

Our Committee continually aims to meet IAM RoadSmart's performance targets and consequently, is always interested in getting more members involved with the Group, particularly in joining our Committee, either in the capacity of an Officer or in a non-office holding role. The document link below describes each of our roles with its corresponding responsibilities. Our positions are in all consistent with other IAM RoadSmart Local Groups.

The following section presents each of the members elected to our Committee at the November 2018 Annual General Meeting for a 1 year term of office. The paragraphs below provide a little bit of background into how each person became involved with Aberdeen Advanced Motorists Group:

Chairperson – Joff Christie

I commenced motorcycling when I was on the family farm when only 10 or 11 years old and I gained my motorcycle driving license in 1989, riding my re-built Honda CB400 Twin. For a month or so I worked as a motorcycle courier between Southampton and the surrounding area, including London where as you’d expect I was exposed to some near misses.

My next motorcycle was a Kawasaki Zephyr 750 which I rode for a few years before trading it in for a Honda VFR 750 and thereafter to what I ride now, a Honda VFR 800. When I got the VFR 800, I thought it wise to better my understanding of being able to ride safely and efficiently; the IAM gave me this.

After sitting my advanced test, I then decided that it would be good to assist other like minded motorcyclists to become better and this in turn would improve my own biking skills. I've been Observing since 2014 and would recommend riders to do the same, helping other like minded motorcyclists become better and safer riders.

I've also been an active member on the Committee since 2014 and previously held the post of Treasurer before being voted as Chairperson in November 2018. This will be my first term as Chairperson and I'm very much looking forward to it.

Secretary - Loren Kelly

I initially got involved with the IAM after my Dad, who had previously passed his Advanced Driving Course, suggested that I try it out. Soon after, I received a birthday present of a subscription to the IAM and the rest, as they say, is history! Even before being given the subscription as a gift, having seen how much friends and family have taken from the course, I knew that it was something that I was keen to do. I have always enjoyed driving and often go out on nice days to explore Aberdeenshire and further afield.

After successfully passing the Advanced Driving Course, I decided I wanted to give something back to the Aberdeen Group. Volunteers run the Group and, if it hadn't been for them giving up their own time, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to take the course. Consequently, I got involved as a trainee Observer and had the pleasure of observing several great and enthusiastic Associates, who all passed very well. I successfully passed as a fully qualified National Observer at the end of October 2018.

I accepted the role of Group Secretary unofficially in summer 2016, but was elected officially at the AGM later that year. Group Secretary sits very well with my day job of being a solicitor and I'm now enjoying my 3rd term seeing how the Group works from a different perspective. Also I recently started my CBT and will be working towards my bike licence in the coming months. Additionally, I'd consider doing things like my Masters in the future.

I would be pleased to hear from anybody looking to advance their driving or riding further beyond the Advanced course.

Treasurer – Ken London

I have been interested in powerful cars since passing my test in 1968, just a few months after I was 17. I have been fortunate to own many famous marques in my 50 years of driving such as Triumph, Ford, Jaguar, Lotus and most recently Alfa Romeo. After I bought my 510hp Giulia, I felt I needed a performance driving course, which I did at Knockhill but I also realised that taking an Advanced Driving course would be very beneficial.

I very much enjoyed the Observed drives and saw that my driving greatly improved. Consequently, I was eager to volunteer as an Observer after passing the IAM Advanced test but also became involved in Committee matters, in an unofficial capacity, during most of 2018.

This will be my first term as an official Committee member and am looking forward to the challenge of Treasurer as well as maintaining our Group's communications via the website and keeping all our membership informed via the quarterly Newsletter.

Observer Liaison – Neil Warden

I completed an advanced driving course in 1995 with Grampian Police and in order to maintain my skills, they recommended that I go to ROSPA or IAM. There wasn't a ROSPA group in Aberdeen so I got involved with the Aberdeen Advanced Motorists. After passing the test, the chairman at that time, Dave Walker, asked if I would like to get involved with observing and coming on to the Committee as observer trainer which I did. I eventually became Chairman.

A few years back, I took on the roll of RGC (Regional Group Coordinator) after Steve Shepley stepped down. This meant that I could no longer be involved at Committee level with the AAM Group but instead would help all of the IAM local Scottish Groups as and when they required it. This role involved arranging the Scottish Conference once a year, attending groups' AGMs, Committee meetings and anything else in between. However, with IAM RoadSmart appointing an Area Service Delivery Manager for the Scottish Groups, I was able to return to the Aberdeen Group committee exclusively and again became Chairman.

I've taken on the role of chairman 3 times, but have now stood down and am very pleased to let Joff take on the post. I've not stepped away from our Committee altogether though, as I'm now going to focus on Liaison with our team of Observers. This will keep the Observers up to speed with what the Group is planning as well as keeping the Committee abreast of how our Observers are progressing with their Associates

If any of our members would like take on the challenge of becoming an Observer, please contact myself or any other member of our Committee.

Social Events - Kenny Hair

My dad ran a garage workshop for a timber company and consequently I had an early interest in cars, HGVs and tractors. However, after I bought a non-running, decrepit BSA Bantam with a heap of spares for the princely sum of £10 and successfully managed to get it going and then began thrashing it at every opportunity, I developed a love for all things two-wheeled. This passion is very much alive today although I'm not so sure about the poor Bantam... I've competed with off road trials bikes in the past but I'm purely a road biker nowadays, although I'll never say never to a return to off-road fun.

A close friend, who was with Aryshire IAM suggested that I become an Advanced Rider and so began my story with the Aberdeen Group. I was lucky to have Joff, our current Chairman, as my Observer and I successfully passed with a F1RST in 2016. Joff also encouraged me to join the Committee as the Social "Ride & Run" Events Coordinator during this period.

This is my 3rd year on the Committee as Social Events Coordinator.

Associate Liaison - Chris Noble

I went through my IAM Advanced Rider course in 2017 with Neil as my Observer. He must have seen some potential because he invited me to train as an Observer after passing my test. Having been a driving instructor in the past, we decided to go straight to the National Observer qualification, which I passed in September 2018.

The thing I love about this is, we are helping people from all walks of life who share the same desire to improve their knowledge and ability to ride a motorbike safely.

As a veteran of the Royal Airforce Regiment (Rockapes), I also divide my time with being an active supporter of the Royal British Legion Riders Branch which takes me all over the UK on fundraising and ceremonial events.

This is my first term on the Committee.

Unspecified Role - Gary Macalister

I passed my Advanced Driving Test in 1987, having earlier attended an evening class run in Shell's premises in Aberdeen. At that time, the Observer was indeed just that, in that I had one run out when he told me all the things that I had to improve and not come back until I had fixed them. My second run out was effectively the pre-test.

Shortly after that, "Mitch" Mitchell was increasing the Aberdeen Group's Observer capability and his recruiting advice was "just do as your Observer did". Even then, it was clear that this approach may not have been the best way to go about things. So as an Observer, I just tried to find my own way. Thirty years on, I've had a good number of successful Associates, so it couldn't have been too bad. I took my National Observer qualification in Kingswells at the start of 2017 and followed that up with Local Observer Assessor at the end of 2018.

I continue to work in the oil industry with my own consultancy business but spend most of my time on family, sailing and a global role with Rotary.

This will be my first term as a Committee member.

Unspecified role - Douglas London

It was at school that I first took an interest in Advanced Driving when I learned that one of my teachers had her Advanced Driver's membership. Thereafter, I've always had a desire to become a more competent driver but it was more than 12 years later, after learning that my father-in-law was an Advanced Driver, that I finally decided to do something about it. I even got my dad interested. We both passed our Advanced tests in early 2018.

This will be my first term on the Committee. I wanted to give something back to the Aberdeen Advanced Driver community that made my objective of being a more competent driver a reality. I aim to help in the running of the Group in any way that I can.

I recently became a father and hope that once I have a bit more time, I can also become an Observer. I enjoy driving with my family at weekends and will perhaps try out some of our "Oot an' Aboot" runs. I am also a passionate mountain biker and work as a Subsea Engineer in the Oil and Gas industry.